House Insulation Simulation Storyboard – Final 5
1/14/03
Screen: 01
Text: House Insulation Simulation
Introduction
The purpose of this simulation is to insulate a house with different types
of insulation to determine the effectiveness of a given insulation type,
and how many years it would take to recoup your investment in a given
insulation type.
To successfully complete this simulation, you need to:
1) Utilize the Heat Loss Formula to determine BTUs lost in one hour
a) determine the square feet to be insulated for walls, roof, and
windows
b) determine the Heating Degree Days for a given location
c) determine the insulation to be used
2) Determine how much money will be used to heat a house of a given square
footage and insulation type for one year
a) utilize the BTUs lost, the type of fuel, and the Heating Degree Days
in a simple formula
3) Add an insulation type to the house, then determine heating cost savings
for one year, and the amount of time needed to recover the investment in
the additional insulation
4) Write a report detailing your findings
You will receive guidance through each step of the simulation.
You must complete the entire simulation in one session because no records
are stored. Each time you run the simulation values for the house may
change.
Graphics: A house in 3-D view, with insulation being added to walls.
Notes: This page lists the goal and objectives for the sim.
-------------------------------Screen: 02
Text: What Do I Do?
1
In this simulation you are building a house. You need to determine how
much it will cost you to insulate the house with both minimal and
additional insulation for one year. You will also determine how many years
it will take to recover your additional insulation investment.
Sequence of Activity
1. Insulate a simulated house. You will choose a house type, a
geographical location, the number of windows, the type of fuel you
will use to heat the house, and a given insulation type.
2. Calculate the total square feet to be insulated.
3. Determine the heat loss in millions of BTUs per hour.
4. Determine the cost of heating the house for one year.
5. Add one type of insulation to the house, and determine the resulting
cost.
6. Determine the heat (and money) saved per year with additional
insulation. Then determine the number of years needed to recover the
cost of the additional insulation.
Compile and include this information in a report you will submit to your
instructor.
Graphics: Show a two-story house and a ranch house with various insulation
materials being applied to one of the walls. Apply the first insulation
type. Then erase it, apply the second insulation type, erase it, etc until
all five types of insulation are used. Then repeat the entire sequence,
making it a continuous loop.
Four different types of insulation - 3/4" foam, 1 1/2" foam, 1” Superlite
(Urea) Foam, and 3 1/2” fiberglass.
Notes: This is the advanced organizer for the sim.
-------------------------------Screen: 03
Text: What Do I Need?
You need the R-values and cost per square foot for the first five
materials listed in the chart below:
2
(Show chart here w/ R-values & w/costs added for first 5 materials)
You may want to print this page for use in this simulation. Later in the
simulation you will choose a window type and will be given the R-value for
the window type at that time.
Graphics: Five different types of insulation - 1/2" plywood, 3/4" foam, 1
1/2" foam, Superlite (Urea) Foam, and 3 1/2” fiberglass.
Programmer Notes: Add a print button to print the chart.
-------------------------------Screen: 04
Text: Chart 1 - House with Minimal Insulation
To simplify this simulation:
1. Your house will have 1/2-inch plywood used as the only insulation
material. Normally, a house would have several layers of materials that
insulate, possibly including clapboard siding followed by plywood on the
outside, and drywall on the inside. For this simulation, you will ignore
the clapboard siding and drywall in all calculations and reports.
This basic house will later be compared to another house that contains one
additional layer of insulation.
2. You will not need to insulate the floors. (In real life, you would
insulate the floors of a house.)
3. The roof is made of 1/2-inch plywood only.
4. The height of each wall is 8 feet.
5. As the number and type of windows will remain the same throughout the
simulation from this point, there is no need for you to calculate window
cost.
3
Name:
House Type:
Location:
Material
R-value
Total Area
Component (BTU/h X
(sq. ft.)
°F X
sq.ft.)
Wall
(1/2”
plywood)
Roof
(1/2”
plywood)
Windows
Grand Total N/A
Total Cost of
Materials
($)
Annual Heat
Loss
(BTUs)
N/A
HDD =
Fuel Type =
Cost of Fuel =
Cost of Heat for One Heating Season =
This is the first part of the report you will hand in at the end of this
simulation. Create this chart in a word processor or spreadsheet so you
can submit it electronically when it is complete. The screens that follow
will provide the data you need to fill in this chart.
Programmer Notes: Add a Print button so users can print the chart.
-------------------------------Screen: 05
Text: Basic House Simulation
Please choose the location of your house, the number of stories (single or
double), length & width, number and type of windows, and type of energy
used for heat.
4
Programmer Notes: To calculate, you need in addition to info provided in
storyboard/input:
Cost of the insulation material
Size of roof = 1.2 X L X W (this is an average)
Each window is 4' X 2.5' .
Window types & R-value
 Single glazing, clear glass, Aluminum frame R value = 0.8
 Double glazing, Clear glass wood or vinyl frame R value = 2.0
 Double glazing Low-e coating (low solar gain) wood frame R value = 3.0
 Triple glazing, 2 low-e coatings, wood or vinyl frame R value = 4.1
At this point, the Insulation should be locked on 1/2” plywood. No other
choice can be made.
FYI: Total cost to heat for entire house is sum of costs to heat the wall
area, the roof area, and the window area.
-------------------------------Screen: 06
Text: Calculate the Square Footage
Based on the house you built, here’s what you know:


The walls of your house consist of one insulating material made of
1/2” plywood. You are not using any additional insulation.
The house is rectangular, X feet wide by Y feet long. Each wall is 8
feet high. The square footage for one floor is X•Y. To determine the
total wall square footage for one story, you take the square footage
for each wall and add them together. Example: If you have a 15’ X 20’
house, with all walls 8’ high,
15’ X 8’ = 120 sq. ft.
5
+
+
+
Total




15’
20’
20’
sq.
X 8’
X 8’
X 8’
ft.
=
=
=
=
120
160
160
560
sq.
sq.
sq.
sq.
ft.
ft.
ft.
ft.
The total sq. ft. for the walls for one story is 560 sq. ft. If you
have a second story, you must multiply this number by two, so for a
two-story house, 560 sq. ft. X 2 = 1120 sq. ft.
The house has N stories.
The roof of your house consists of 1/2” plywood. The square footage
of the roof is R. (This is based on an average roof being 1.2 times
the area of a single floor of a rectangular house, due to its pitch
or slope.)
The house has W windows. Each window is 4 feet high by 2 1/2 feet
wide. The total square footage of the windows is Z. The R-value of
the window is WP.
The Heating Degree Days for your chosen location is HDD.
Record all this information on the chart you previously constructed.
Graphics:
Show the chart with arrows pointing to columns to fill in. This is serving
as a model for the student to follow – but we cannot give all the
information away here.
If you are tight for space, drop the chart.
Show a cut-away view of the chosen house as close as possible to the specs
chosen/generated.
Example: (We can’t use this – must create our own).
6
Programming Notes:
 X and Y are variables set when the user makes a choice on this screen
with the range 20’ ≤ X ≤ 30’,
60’ ≤ Y ≤ 90’. Length & width of the house.
 N is a variable determined by house choice. Ranch = 1, Two-story = 2.
 W is a variable set by the user. # of windows 8 ≤ W ≤ 16.
 R is generated based on the length and width of the house, and the
pitch. Use area of one floor X 1.2
 WP is a variable auto generated by R-value of window chosen.
o Single glazing, clear glass, Aluminum frame R value = 0.8
o Double glazing, Clear glass wood or vinyl frame R value = 2.0
o Double glazing Low-e coating (low solar gain) wood frame R value = 3.0
o Triple glazing, 2 low-e coatings, wood or vinyl frame R value = 4.1
 Z is total sq.ft. of windows
 HDD is the HDD for the chosen location.
-------------------------------Screen: 7
Text: Calculate Your Heat Loss for a House with Minimal Insulation
Heat loss depends on the following variables:
1. Total Surface Area of the House
2. Insulation Property of the Total Surface Area
7
3. Heating Degree Days (HDD)
1. Total Surface Area is the combination of the total wall surface area, the total roof surface area, and the total
window surface area.
 Total wall surface area is the combined wall area of all stories. For example, a two-story house with a
wall surface area of 500 sq. ft. for one floor would have a total wall surface area of 1000 sq. ft. (500 sq.
ft. X 2 = 1000 sq. ft.)
 Total roof surface area is the floor surface area (length X width of the house) for one story X 1.2 for
this simulation. (This represents an average roof pitch.)
 Total window surface area is the window area of one window multiplied by the number of other
windows in the house. For example, if one window has an area of 5 sq. ft. and there are 6 windows in
the house, the total window surface area would be 30 sq. ft. (5 sq. ft. X 6 = 30 sq. ft.)
ALTERNATE TEXT IF WE MUST SUBTRACT WINDOW AREA FROM WALL AREA
1. Total Surface Area is the combination of the total window surface area, the total wall surface area, and the
total roof surface area.
 Total window surface area is the window area of one window multiplied by the number of other
windows in the house. For example, if one window has an area of 5 sq. ft. and there are 6 windows in
the house, the total window surface area would be 30 sq. ft. (5 sq. ft. X 6 = 30 sq. ft.)
 Total wall surface area is the combined wall area of all stories minus the total window surface area.
For example, a two-story house with a wall surface area of 500 sq. ft. for one floor would have a total
wall surface area of 1000 sq. ft. (500 sq. ft. X 2 = 1000 sq. ft.) Next, you must subtract the total window
surface area from this – think of the windows as holes in the wall that don’t count as wall area. For
example, if you have 1000 sq. ft. of wall surface area and 30 sq. ft. of window surface area, 1000 sq. ft.
– 30 sq. ft. = 970 sq. ft. wall surface area.
 Total roof surface area is the wall area for one story X 1.2 for this simulation. (This represents an
average roof pitch.)
2. Insulation Property of the Total Surface Area consists of the individual R-values of the wall, the roof, and
the windows.
 R-value for the wall with minimal insulation
 R-value for the roof with minimal insulation
 R-value for the windows
3. Heating Degree Days (HDD)
 The annual average difference in temperature between the inside (based on 65° F) and outside of the
building.
Heat loss is expressed in BTUs per hour using the symbol Q. You use a
formula to calculate the heat loss for the walls, roof, and windows
individually. Then you add the three calculations together to determine
the total heat loss.
8
For example, with 80 sq. ft. of wall area and 20 sq. ft. of window area:
 Q walls = Wall Heat loss = 80 X (HDD*24)/R value of walls.
 Q roof = Roof heat loss = (80 X 1.2) X (HDD*24)/R value of the roof.
 Q windows = Window heat loss = 20 X (HDD*24)/R value of windows.
The total heat loss is the sum of all three.
Calculate and record the heat loss information on the chart you previously
constructed.
Note: The reason for multiplying HDD by 24 is that R-values are expressed
in time units of one hour. To make the equation correct, you must multiply
HDD by the total hours in one day (24).
Programmer Note: If you need to break this up into 2 screens, do so at the
“Heat loss is expressed in BTUs” sentence. Label the screens
Calculate Your Heat Loss for a House with Minimal Insulation, Part 1
Calculate Your Heat Loss for a House with Minimal Insulation, Part 2
-------------------------------Screen: 8
Text: Calculate Your Cost of Heat for One Heating Season
Now that you have a heat loss number expressed in BTUs per hour, the fuel
cost, and the HDD, you can calculate the total cost of heat for one
heating season. Use this formula to do so:
Where Q is the sum of Qs (walls, roof, windows) expressed in millions of
BTUs per hour, Cost is the amount of $ you spend to buy one unit of fuel,
and the final part of the equation shows how many millions of BTUs you get
in one unit of fuel.
Record this information on the chart you previously constructed.
Graphics: You could show the chart w/ arrow pointing to the HDD. Not
essential.
-------------------------------9
10
Screen: 9
Text: Chart 2: House with Added Insulation
Name:
House Type:
Location:
Material
Component
R-value
(BTU/h X
°F X
sq.ft.)
Total Sq.
Ft. Area
(sq. ft.)
Wall (1/2”
plywood) +
1
Insulation
Type
Roof (1/2”
plywood) +
1
Insulation
Type
Windows
Grand Total N/A
Total Cost of
Materials
($)
Annual Heat
Loss
(BTUs)
N/A
HDD =
Fuel Type =
Cost of Fuel =
Cost of Heat for One Heating Season =
This is the second part of the report you will hand in at the end of this
simulation. Create this chart in a word processor or spreadsheet so you
can submit it electronically when it is complete. The screens that follow
will provide the information you need to fill in this chart.
Programmer Note: Add a Print button that prints this chart. Export to
Excel if possible, as in Sim 2.
-------------------------------Screen: 10
Text: Adding Insulation to Your House
11
Choose one type of insulation to add to your house from the pull-down
list. (Then proceed to the next screen.)
Graphics: Show the chosen house. Apply the chosen insulation type to the
inside walls, and attic roof when user makes a choice.
Programmer Note: You must store the insulation type choice for later use.
ONLY insulation types are available. All other choices are locked and show
the choices made previously.
Do NOT include clapboard siding and drywall in the pull-down choice of
insulation.
-------------------------------Screen: 11
Text: Calculate Heating Costs With Additional Insulation
Record your name, house type, total sq. ft. HDD, fuel type, and cost of
fuel in Chart 2. You can copy this information from Chart 1.
To find the total R-value of a composite wall or roof, you add the Rvalues of the different materials together.
Then complete the chart:



Square footage remains the same.
Determine the total cost of the additional insulation.
Determine the new R-value for the composite walls (1/2” plywood + 1
additional insulation material).
12

Calculate the new heat loss for walls, roof, and windows using the
heat loss formula.
Remember to calculate total heat loss by adding together the heat
loss from walls, roof, and windows.

Calculate your cost of heat for one heating season with the formula
Graphics: Highlight the following columns: R-value, Cost of ins., Heat
Loss, Cost to heat for one season. If possible.
Show a profile view of the composite wall.
-------------------------------Screen: 12
Text: Determine the Cost Savings for One Year With the Additional
Insulation Type
To find this, subtract the cost of heat listed on your second chart from
the cost of heat listed on your first chart. The difference between the
two is your cost savings for one year with additional insulation.
For example, if your initial heat cost from chart 1 was $1000, and your
heat cost from chart 2 was $700, $1000 - $700 = $300. You are saving $300
per year in heat costs.
The Cost Savings is the third part of the report you will hand in at the
end of this simulation.
Graphic: Show a bogus Report with Section 3 being completed. Section 1 is
Chart 1, section 2 is Chart 2, Section 3 is cost savings.
-------------------------------Screen: 13
13
Text: Establish the Time to Recover Your Investment in the Additional
Insulation
To determine this, divide the cost of the additional insulation by the
cost savings for one year.
For example, if the additional insulation cost $5000, and your cost
savings for one year was $300, $5000 ÷ $300 per year = 16.67 years. It
would take you nearly 17 years to recover your investment in the
additional insulation.
The Time to Recover the Insulation Investment is the fourth part of the
report you will hand in at the end of this simulation.
Graphic: Show a bogus Report with Section 3 being completed. Section 1 is
Chart 1, section 2 is Chart 2, Section 3 is cost savings, Section 4 is
time to recover.
-------------------------------Screen: 14
Text: House Insulation Simulation
Conclusion
You're done! Congratulations! You should have a report ready to hand in to
your instructor, consisting of the following sections:
1) Chart 1: House with Minimal Insulation (1/2” plywood only)
2) Chart 2: House with Added Insulation (1/2” plywood + 1 additional
insulation material)
3) Cost Savings for One Year With the Additional Insulation Type
4) Time to Recover Your Investment in the Additional Insulation
Prepare all this information so it can be submitted to your instructor
electronically. S/he will provide you with the exact submission method.
Note: You may want to run through this simulation several times,
experimenting with different houses, setups, locations, and insulation
types. This will give you a better understanding of cost effectiveness.
Graphics: Show picts of all needed submissions.
14
Appendix
Additional Info for sim:
Location






Nome, Alaska
20,300
Honolulu, Hawaii
0.0
Tuscon, Arizona
1,578
State College, Pennsylvania
6,000
Saint Paul, Minnesota
7,882
Raleigh, North Carolina 3,465
Programmer Note: You must store the user’s choice and be able to use it in
future calculations and on-screen displays. The list of choices should be
radio buttons – one choice allowed only, but user can re-choose as much as
desired.
After choice is made, we can display the HDD info.
-------------------------------House Types:
OR
Single-story Ranch
Two-story
Graphics: WE CANNOT USE THE SAMPLE PICTS PROVIDED HERE. Need a drawing of
a 1-story ranch and a 2-story house. Both should be plain rectangular to
make it easy to apply the insulation. Both should be at 45° angle profile
to show a pseudo-3D effect. Both picts will be used later in a cut-away
view where 1-2 walls are removed so use can see interior of house & see
where insulation goes. Should initially have a basement, but we must be
able to remove the basement & display the house w/out one. Same for
windows.
15
Programmer Note: You must store the user’s choice and be able to use it in
future calculations and on-screen displays.
Fuel Used:
Please choose between gas, oil, or electricity for fuel to provide heat.
Click on your choice.
Fuel Type
Natural Gas
Oil
Electricity
Unit of Measurement
Cubic feet
Gallons
Kilowatt/hour
Cost per Unit
Graphics: Initially display graphics showing 3 different fuel types.
Highlight chosen fuel type.
Programmer Note: You must store the user’s choice and be able to use it in
future calculations and on-screen displays. The list of choices should be
radio buttons – one choice allowed only, but user can re-choose as much as
desired.
The default cost of Gas, Oil, and Electricity must be stored in a textfile that is read in a runtime. Instructors must be able to access and
easily modify the costs in the text file as needed.
Extra Stuff
Observe the changes on the total cost and related calculations. What
changes make a big impact on the insulation calculations? What changes
make little or no impact on the insulation calculations?
16